Mini Soapstone Nativity Set

Hand-carved from Kisii soapstone by African artisans, this 13-piece Nativity set includes Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, Wisemen, Shephards, animals and an oval display board to beautifully set up the figurines.

• Features 12 figurines and 1 display board.
• Tallest piece measures approximately 3.25-inches tall. Smallest piece is approximately 1.25-inches tall. Diameter of each piece is approximately 1-inch. Mary measures approximately 2.75-inches, Baby Jesus is approximately 1.5-inches in length by 1-inch wide. 
• Display board measures approximately 8.25-inches by 6.5-inches.
• Each piece is made from natural stone. Color variations can range from cream to pink to gold to gray in any single piece.
• Soapstone is a soft stone, making it easy to carve into many forms. Handle with care to avoid breakage. 
• Each piece has gone through multiple stages of sanding and waxing, giving the soapstone a satiny finish.

Care Instructions

Mix mild detergent with water and wipe with soft cloth.

Meet the Artisan

Smolart

The artists of SMOLArt, a group of artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of soapstone crafts. The name, a shortened version of Small, Medium, and Large Artists, refers to the size of the soapstone products the artisans make, not their stature. Established in 1990, SMOLArt is a member of the WFTO, and as such assures that the artisans are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, the organization support community development by contributing to projects that improve living conditions, education, and health of their members and the village at large.
Soapstone is mined from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. The mined soapstone is then delivered to carvers who carve sculptures from the natural stone for the wholesale market, the color of which ranges from cream, to pink, to brown, to yellow, to black, to a marbling of all of them. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth rough edges of the soapstone with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents.
All of the soapstone products we sell are completely handmade. The tools consist of household items from screwdrivers, hand drills, to switchblades. "Pangas," sword-like tools usually used for cutting down vegetation, are used to cleave the stone in the mines.